The Monarchy
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Hmm well at the moment I'm leaning towards not including supernatural elements in this story. But if there is a demand for it, I do adore the supernatural and would slip it in there. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter Warning: Very short torture scene, but warnings are put in place for those of you who are squeamish. Only a couple paragraphs. This is Medieval times after all and I am striving for realism.
Chapter Two
Itachi sighs and goes to his room for the night. He kept rereading the letter. Surely, there had to be some clue as to who was behind the assassination attempt. Try as he might though, there was nothing. He knew though, deep in his very bones, that Danzo was responsible for it.
"Damn him." The eldest prince mutters under his breath.
If it wasn't for that man, he was sure his parents would be alive. He and Sasuke would still be the crowned Princes of the Sharingan Kingdom. And his people wouldn't be suffering under the cruel rule of a sadistic despot.
Itachi would never forget that night. He would never be able to wash away the memory of his little brother's grief or the feeling of his own. The "monk" knew that the rest of the Sharingan Kingdom had shared in their grief.
"How could they not?" He muses to himself.
King Fugaku had been exactly what one would expect of a ruler for this time. He was a proud warrior. He was intelligent. Fugaku was not to be trifled with. He had protected the Sharingan Kingdom's borders well and the Kingdom had been stable under his rule, unlike most other areas in their war torn world.
Queen Mikoto had been his mirror opposite. Where Fugaku was proud, stong, unyielding, and aloof… she was not. The Queen had been kind, gentle, beautiful, and the only one who could ever change Fugaku's mind about well anything. It was a gift really. Itachi wasn't sure how she managed it.
"Someday, we'll make him pay for what he did to our family. I promise you that, little brother." Itachi says as he looks out the window at the Full Moon.
The Moon reminded Itachi of Sasuke. Like Sasuke it went in phases. It would grow and then shrink again. It was beautiful. But compared to the Sun, it's beauty was underappreciated. The Sun was constant, the Moon was always changing.
Sasuke was if nothing else, adaptable. Perhaps it was because he was so young when tragedy had befallen them. Maybe he just was following Itachi's instructions. But he did seem to be thriving in the Byakugan Kingdom.
"Soon he'll have to come up with clever excuses about why he isn't marrying." He chuckles.
He was the son of a Duke. Sasuke he had grown up to be a handsome man, so Shizune told him anyway. He was a noble, wealthy, attractive, strong, intelligent, and seemed to have a relatively secure position at Court. Well as secure as anyone's position ever was. There would many fathers who would try make a match, he was sure. Sasuke even without his prince title, was certainly an eligible bachelor.
He tries to picture his little brother as a man. Itachi just couldn't do it. To him, Sasuke would always be that adorable child with the huge bubble eyes that followed him around like he was Itachi's shadow. It was hard to believe that ten long years had passed on some days.
"Well the time for waiting is almost over." He muses as he pens his letter to the Akatsuki.
Dearest Friends,
The time for waiting is over. The harvest is ready to be gathered. I should like to help you. Please send for me.
Sincerely, Tao.
He smiles at the letter. He decides it was vague enough that if it was intercepted, no one would be suspicious. Letters were all too commonly intercepted in the Five Great Kingdoms. After all, war ravaged most of the land these days.
He sends the letter off with a falcon. His falcon had never let him down. Taka was a gift from Sasuke on his 10th birthday. Itachi smiles as he remembered those happier times.
"Happy birthday, big brother!" Sasuke cried out joyfully and hugged Itachi's leg.
Sasuke was only five and Itachi was ten. It was a strange age. He was not yet a man, but calling him a child would have been a stretch. He was growing quickly. Many easily mistook the eldest prince for a boy of 13 summers instead of 10. Sasuke though, he was still simply an adorable child.
"Thank you, Sasuke." He replied and flicked his forehead affectionately, a gesture shared only between the two of them.
"Owe! You always do that." Sasuke whines.
"It is how I show that I love you. Now what has you all excited? Perhaps it is the cake that we will be enjoying later this evening?" He mused out loud.
"No! Well yes. I do like cake. But that's not what has me excited. I got you a present, big brother. The bestest present ever." Sasuke said puffing his chest out proudly at his own cleverness.
This drew a chuckle from Itachi. He wondered what would count as the ":bestest present ever" to a five year old. Curious, he allowed Sasuke to lead him off.
"This is Taka! The Falconer says he's the best one." His younger brother told him.
"Taka? Someone named a falcon, hawk?" Itachi asked in amusement.
"Yeah! But he's really fast. Come on. Let's fly him. You'll see! He's even trained to deliver letters like a pigeon, but faster." Sasuke explained and was practically hopping around in excitement.
"Alright. Let's fly him." Itachi agreed and headed off with Sasuke and Taka.
He releases the bird of prey. Itachi smiled. There was such a pure freedom in how the bird flew. He was truly master of his domain. One of God's most beautiful creatures, in the young prince's mind.
"He is magnificent. Thank you, Sasuke." He said with a smile and Sasuke grinned as if Itachi had just given him the world with that simple compliment.
Years later, Itachi wished that he could have traded places with that falcon. Oh how he longed to be free. To not have to hide who he was and for Sasuke to be able to enjoy the same. Still, he knew that the waiting was almost over. The Akatsuki would soon be on the move.
In the Byakugan Kingdom, Kakashi watches his "son" pace. The kid was really anxious. Sasuke was normally a composed individual, so to see him like this was rather distressing to put it mildly.
"You caught her. She is safe now. I doubt the assassin would try again so soon after the first attempt. It'd be smarter for them to wait until we lower our guard. The Princess will be fine." He tries to assure him.
"I hope you are right." Sasuke says with a sigh.
Kakashi places a hand on his shoulder consolingly. Sasuke had managed to successfully keep his feelings for the eldest princess a secret from everyone, but him. Of course, Kakashi being a good father, didn't let "Eli" know that he knew. The silver haired man didn't want to embarrass him.
Sasuke was likely conflicted enough in the first place. He knew that he was going to take back the Sharingan Kingdom someday. He could hardly do that if he married Hinata under a false name, now could he?
"Of course, I am right. Believe me, Sasuke. I have seen many assassination attempts over the years. Sadly, they are fairly commonplace. We will protect her. Do not worry." He says.
Sasuke wasn't his child by blood, but Kakashi had raised him since he was a small boy. He might as well have been. Shizune had been so overjoyed when they finally had a child. They had tried for years, but to no avail.
He had expected Sasuke to be scared or angry. At the very least, the Duke realized he would be withdrawn. But that wasn't what happened.
"How can I not worry? Our Kingdom was taken from us. I would not see that happen here." Sasuke mutters.
In almost every way, Sasuke had been a model son. He obeyed orders, he was attentive in his studies, Sasuke seemed to enjoy hunting and other father-son activities with him, and he clearly did feel real affection towards Shizune. Never once did he bring shame to their name. Well…he was almost perfect.
Sasuke had a fascination with fire. Kakashi couldn't fault him for this. Many people did. But as a small boy, he liked to play with matches. More than one of Shizune's gowns or set of curtains had been set aflame accidentally. The young prince had no fear of the fire. He loved it.
"We won't let that happen again. Someday, you and Itachi will take back your rightful place as the leaders of the Sharingan Kingdom. The Monarchy always wins in the end." He says.
"Thank you." Sasuke says.
"Will you attend the ball tonight in honor of Princess Hanabi's birthday? The merriment would do you some good." He suggests.
"Yes, of course I will. I would not want to risk offending the King or the princesses." The young man says.
Kakashi smiles. He hands a set of fancy robes. They were midnight blue and made of the finest velvet.
"What's this?" Sasuke asks.
"Your mother got them for you. She wanted you to have something nice to wear to the ball." He says.
"Mother does enjoy dressing me up as if I were still a child." Sasuke states with amusement.
"Humor her. She means well and she's right. You do need to wear something that is befitting of your station." Kakashi reminds him and Sasuke nods in agreement.
"Give her my thanks and tell her that it is perfect for my needs on this night." The young prince says and heads off.
Sasuke smiles. He was fortunate. Kakashi and Shizune was kind and the Byakugan Court had largely accepted him. Of course there were a few who hadn't. But Sasuke had grown up in another Court. He knew how to play the game. As he was lost in these musings, he didn't watch where he was going. So perhaps it wasn't surprising when he ran into someone.
"Sorry!" He hears someone cry out as they crashed into him.
"It's alright. The fault was mine." He replies quickly, not realizing who had bumped into him at first.
"Eli?" Hinata asks.
"Princess Hinata." Sasuke greets her respectfully and gives a short bow, as was expected.
"You don't need to bow to me. You saved my life and my back. It is I who should bow to you, if anything." She says.
Sasuke looks up at her in amusement. Modesty was not a trait that was often found in rulers. But Hinata had it in spades. Perhaps that was part of the reason why he found himself drawn to her. The pampered, spoiled Ladies of Court, held little appeal to him.
"My Lady needs to bow to no one except God and the King." He says with a smile.
"You are very kind. Will you be going to the Ball?" She asks.
"I will. I wouldn't miss your sister's birthday for the world. I am sure that it will be quite the grand celebration as is befitting of a princess." The dark haired man replies.
"Oh yes, very grand. You know my sister as well as anyone. She never does anything halfway." Hinata says with a giggle and Sasuke nods.
Princess Hanabi was the opposite of her sister in many ways. She was truly spirited. The Sharingan Prince had no idea what man would ever be able to tame her. She was as wild as any horse.
God was merciful in some ways. He had decided to allow the calmer sister to be born first. He thought, perhaps only half jokingly, that Hanabi might go to war if someone insulted her gown that day. But she was as kind as she was wild. So the people loved her, as they loved Hinata.
"I look forward to it. I imagine you are on your way to a fitting?" He inquires and Hinata nods.
"I should go. It's not polite to keep the seamstress waiting." She mumbles.
"Of course. Good day, my princess." He says and heads off, watching as Hinata flitted off to get her new gown tailored.
Meanwhile back in the Sharingan Kingdom, things were anything but merry. The latest revolt leader was being publicly executed. The crowd looked on in horrified fashion.
Warning Torture Scene
The man had his feet and legs bound. A rope was around his neck and tied to a horse's foot. As the beast ran, he was drug against the ground. The stones and soil, dirtying his face and cutting into his skin. He was bleeding badly. So badly, that he was scarcely recognizable.
Shisui would not give the usurper the satisfaction of crying out in pain. He bit his tongue so hard while being drug by the horse, that it belt. But still he kept his mouth shut. He would not break. He could take away his life, but not his pride!
"STOP! IN THE NAME OF THE KING STOP!" Shisui was vaguely aware of someone calling out and the sounds of a rapidly galloping horse, but his vision was too blurred to really process what was going on at this point other than the pain he was in.
End of Torture Scene
"Deidara, you handle this." Kisame says as he rides his horse as fast as he could and swings his sword at the rope tying Shisui to the horse.
It worked. The horse was still running, but Shisui was no longer being dragged behind. He quickly leaned down and offered the badly beaten man his hand. Suishi somehow finds the will to grab onto it and is pulled onto Kisame's horse.
"This is going to be fun!" Deidara says, laughing in a way that made Shisui wonder if the blonde was actually mad.
"It's going to be alright." Kisame tells him and urges the horse on.
This was truly the fastest horse that the blue skinned man had ever known. His name was Black Lightning and he lived up to it. The horse raced across the castle courtyard as guards pursued them.
"TAKE THIS!" Deidara says and he tosses some torches at the guards.
When the torches landed, the fire quickly spread. Danzo watched on with outrage. He ordered water to be brought to put out the fire and for the guards to continue their pursuit!
The smoke from the fire was heavy though. Kisame was easily able to dart off with Shisui. He recognized the man as being Itachi and Sasuke's cousin. He could prove most useful in taking back the Sharingan Kingdom.
"Here. We should be safe here." Kisame says as they stopped in a forest after riding for what seemed like hours.
"Thank you for saving me." Shisui says.
"Well I couldn't very well let Itachi's cousin die, now could I?" He asks and shows the man to a small stream.
"You knew Itachi?" He asks as he gratefully takes the piece of cloth Kisame handed him and begins to wash his badly bruised and bleeding face.
"I didn't just know him. I know him now. He's very much still alive. It is time for the Sharingan Kingdom to be freed from that tyrant." The strange looking man replies.
"Itachi is alive?! Where is he? Is he well?" Shisui asks, his mind racing with more questions than he could voice.
"He's alive. He's well. Itachi is the one who sent for us actually. I don't think that he is aware the old bastard was planning to have you killed. Still I figure he'll be pretty glad to see you alive anyway. I'm Kisame." He introduces himself.
"Shisui." He answers simply and shakes the other man's hand.
"And as I know you were wondering, my skin has been like this as long as I can remember. You see my mother was the mistress of some Noble. His wife found out about it and tried to drown me as a babe. The Noble stopped the jealous bitch from completely drowning me. But ever since then, my skin has been like this." Kisame states.
"Oh. That is utterly horrific. I am so sorry. There is so much cruelty in this world." The Noble says with a sigh.
Kisame shrugs. It was just a fact of life to him. Most assumed he was some type of demon. And he was perfectly fine to allow them to think that. It was fun really. He had never known what it was like to be normal. The blue skinned man had never fit in anywhere, except for in the Akatsuki.
Ironically enough, being blue in the Akatsuki might have made him the most normal member of the Akatsuki. Deidara was insane. Hidan worshipped some sadistic God of Old. Zetsu looked like a plant. Sasori used corpses as puppets. The list went on and on. It was strange to be amongst a group of people who were so bizarre that he was "normal."
"I'm used to it. Come, it's a long ride to Suna. Itachi is waiting for us there." He says and they set off once more.
Back in the Byakugan Kingdom, Sasuke heads to the ballroom. Oh Hinata had been right. It was truly a grand celebration.
The chandeliers were made of diamonds and sparked underneath the candlelight. There were tables and tables of every food and drink imaginable. Some delicacies had been brought in from far off Kingdoms, he was sure. He didn't recognize all of the food that was displayed so beautifully. Everyone was dressed in their finest gowns or robes. Beautiful, lively music was being played. It was truly a celebration fit for a princess.
"Lord Eli." The King calls out to him and Sasuke mentally gulps.
Usually it was not a good thing if the King sought you out. But he heard no anger in the King's tone and saw none in his posture. So he walked over to him.
"I am very grateful to you. It seems you may very well have saved my daughter's life. A great debt is owed to you, one that simply must be repaid. Tell me what it is you desire and it will be granted. You have but to name it." He assures him.
"You don't owe me anything. I live to serve you and your family, Your Highness." Sasuke replies smoothly.
"Surely there must be something you desire." He continues.
Your daughter and my Kingdom back, Sasuke thought. But he knew better than to voice these wishes out loud. He had to come up with a suitable response. And so he did.
"Perhaps you could speak to my parents on my behalf. I love them dearly. But I fear that they may to try to find me a bride soon. I do not wish to marry before I have proven myself on the battlefield." He says.
"Understandable. You are young yet. What are you 16, 18 summers?" He inquires.
"Seventeen, My Lord." The darker haired man replies.
"Yes, 17 is still quite young. There is plenty of time for you to be merry and find a wife later. I shall speak with them on your behalf. You have my word on this. And my word, is my bond." The Byakugan King assures him and Sasuke nods his head.
"Thank you, Your Highness. You are a most kind and honorable ruler." "Eli" tells him.
"Of course. Now you should go and enjoy the celebration. I imagine many of the ladies of court will be eager to dance with you. Drink and be merry. You are only young once." He says and Sasuke nods as he heads towards the dance floor.
A few hours later, Sasuke sighs. He must have danced with easily two dozen, maybe three dozen women. His feet were sore and he was tired of gently turning down their advances.
Some of them were rather…aggressive. This surprised him a bit. Very unladylike behavior. But the only woman he wanted to grab him in such a fashion was Hinata. And he couldn't see the innocent princess doing that.
"I believe my cousin would like a dance with you. You did save her life after all." Neji muses as he walks over to Sasuke.
"Really? Well one must never say no to a princess." Sasuke says with a smile and heads over to Hinata.
He smiles. Hinata was stunning every day, but even more so in that dress. It was a red silk gown that displayed slightly more of her ample bosom than normal. The trimming had pearls and diamonds stitched to it. It flattered her fine figure rather well, while still maintaining her modesty.
"You look beautiful. But then again, you always do. May I have the honor, Your Highness?" He asks and offers her his hand.
"The honor is all mine." She says with a gentle smile and takes his hand.
Lord Eli had always been very graceful. He was even more so on the dance floor. He always knew the latest steps. It was odd though. She had never seen him practice or taught by an instructor. Little did she know that he had once been taught in the Sharingan Kingdom.
"Now watch me, Sasuke. This is how one dances." Itachi told him.
"Why are you teaching me how to dance?" He asked in confusion.
Itachi chuckles. His little brother was still so innocent. He had yet to really learn the ways of Court Life. Dancing was not just an activity done for pleasure, it was also a tool. One could charm or seduce their partner with ease, if they knew what they were doing.
"It is very important to know how to dance when you are royalty. It's one way that you can make friends." Itachi explained.
"Oh okay. Well if you say so, it must be a good idea." The seven year old said and Itachi chuckled.
Sasuke trusted him completely. His little brother loved exactly like the child he was. Honestly and deeply. One day, he hoped his brother would love his wife and children just as much as he loved their family now. But that was a thought for another day.
Itachi had spent the next several weeks, teaching Sasuke. He instructed him in all the dances he could think of. From the most common to the most exotic. His little brother would be nothing, if not well versed.
Sasuke sighs wistfully. How he missed those days. Those days when his biggest worry had been whether or not he was completing his lessons the right way.
"You are a wonderful dancer. Who taught you?" Hinata asks.
"Thank you, My Lady. You are a divine dancer as well. My brother taught me." Sasuke replies as he twirls her around the dance floor.
"But you don't have a brother." The princess says in confusion and Sasuke realized he had just made a very big mistake.
